Real Estate pro

From what I can tell, they want to tax you, for 2014, for any Gift over $14,000.

But you have a "life time exemption" of $5,340,000. Which seems to mean basically, the first $5.34m you receive as gifts, the tax for it, is covered by a "lifetime exemption" tax credit, so you don't have to actually pay it.

This comes up for me; my brother passed away with no will so our mother inherits his estate. She wants to split it with me, so it would be a gift from her to me of about $125k. So other than the time to fill out the gift tax form, it would have not cost to her?

I refinanced a 4 unit non owner occupied rental/income property and paid both points and fees on the loan. Do I add the cost of both points and fees to the properties basis and deprecate it or can I right off one or the other as an expense for the year I paid it.

On 2012 federal tax return form 1040; line 29 Self-employed health insurance deduction.

If all my income is from Real Estate rentals were I file a Sch E for reporting my income on my 1040 tax return, does this qualify as "Self-employed" under the IRS definition so I can take the deduction on line 29?

Having to get a new health insurer as self employed, so wanted to know how the various company's treat their customers.

I would like to hear peoples experiences with using their Health insurance, the good, the bad and the ugly.....

I am try to decide if I should go with Blue Cross, Blue shield, United health or if anyone has any other company suggestions feel free to add them in.

I’m married but living separately from my wife. She lives and is a resident of the state of Missouri while I live in California. We file jointly on our Federal income tax.

She doesn’t work in an office but travels to conferences and works from home, her company is located in California and they take State income taxes out of her pay check for the state of California (W2 forms verify this) but she does lives in the State of Missouri and is a legal resident of Missouri. I’m self employee with all my income coming from with in the state of California and am a resident of California.

So the question is: do we file just one state income tax for California since our Federal income tax is married filing jointly or do the states want us to split what we owe between the California and Missouri?

I’ve calculated the Fed tax for both joint and separate and we get back much more when filing joint so I want to maintain that status.

I live in a town home type condo complex with a common wall on two sides of my unit. I’ve had a 9mm hand gun for a while and just inherited a double barrel shot gun.

For home defense, what would be the best choice, the 9mm hand gun or a double barrel shotgun?

I am concerned about accidently injuring a neighbor, the 9mm is sure to go though at least one if not two or more walls but it is only one bullet. Versus the shotgun were there would be 5-10 pellets in a buck shot type round or dozens of much smaller pellets in bird shot type round but what they might not penetrate as many walls.

Any opinions please.